- Division Chief – Precision Medicine and Neurogenetics
- Professor of Neurology – Movement disorders, Adult Neurogenetics
- Founding Director – UNC Huntington Disease Program
It didn’t take me long as a physician-scientist to realize that patients are the best teachers. My job is connecting that clinical experience with research to make progress understanding and treating neurological disorders. This work is a team sport: the best progress happens when interdisciplinary academic teams have strong authentic ties to both the patient/family communities and our colleagues in and out of academia.
Clinical and Research Interests
- Clinical and translational research in movement disorders with a special interest in genetically based therapeutics.
- Advancing interdisciplinary care in movement disorders, particularly Huntington disease, tremor, dystonia, ataxia, Parkinson disease and parkinsonisms.
- Interaction of phenotypes and genetic risks in neurodegenerative disorders.
- Impact of essential tremor phenotyping on progress in clinical care and genetic risk factor discovery.
- Building holistic transdisciplinary care resources integrated across the full lifespan for patients and families affected by neurogenetic disorders.
- Making UNC research teams and North Carolina patient communities active drivers of the latest genetic therapeutic clinical trials.
Certifications
- Neurology, American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology
Education/Training
Degrees
- Master of Science in Clinical Research (MSCR)
Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, 2007 – 2012 - Doctor of Medicine
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, 1988 – 1996 - Doctor of Philosophy, Neuroscience
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, 1988 – 1996 - CPGS Certificate of Postgraduate Study (Masters), Engineering,
Cambridge University, England UK, 1987 – 1988 - Bachelor of Arts, Biophysics
The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore Maryland, 1984 – 1987
Residency
- Chief Resident/Resident, Partners Program, Neurology
Massachusetts General Hospital and Brigham and Women’s Hospital
Boston, Massachusetts, 1999 – 2000 - Resident, Partners Program, Neurology
Massachusetts General Hospital and Brigham and Women’s Hospital
Boston, Massachusetts, 1997 – 1999 - Intern, Internal Medicine
Beth Israel Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, 1996 – 1997
Fellowship
- Movement Disorders Fellow
Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, 2000 – 2001
